A New Genjutsu
by steenta112
Summary: Sasuke is back in Konoha and he demonstrates a new genjutsu he created to the members of Team 7. Sakura finds a loop hole, but it doesn't turn out how she hopes when she tries to escape... SakuSasu SasuSaku SaiSaku Enjoy! ONESHOT


**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**A/N- Hope you enjoy! They're nineteen years old here BTW.**

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One spring day, team seven was training in their usual field with one newly reformed traitor, Uchiha Sasuke. He was demonstrating his newest technique to the group. A new genjutsu. Sasuke had returned five months ago and was showing team seven how his genjutsu abilities have increased in power since he was younger.

First he tested it out on Naruto, who was only too eager to be of use, but quickly it became obvious that he would be unable to break free when twenty minutes passed. Though he was trying his best to escape, he simply couldn't. They would have had to wait even longer for the effects to wear off, but Sasuke decided to release the technique and cut the time short.

"Come on, Naruto! I had hoped you were finally going to put this arrogant bastard in his place!" Sakura whispered annoyed to Naruto as she walked him back to the group. "I'd have broken free sooner than that."

"Want to prove that theory, Sa-ku-ra?" Sasuke asked appearing beside her suddenly. Sakura let go of Naruto's arm and turned to face the Sharigan wielder.

The two had been dancing around each other for weeks. It wasn't an immediate return to friendship like it had been with him and Naruto, but it was inevitable, really. Like magnets, they were drawn to each other, and neither Sakura nor Sasuke could resist for long.

Although she did try, and boy, did she try...

Sakura would leave her snarky little comments, always directed at the last Uchiha, which he ignored easily most of the time. She was blatantly hostile at first, offended by just the sight of him. But as the days passed, she softened, and it became more of a teasing banter between the two. Even flirtatious at times, it seemed, though they were quick to return to nonchalance and indifference.

She was a stubborn one and he was cocky and proud. They were practically made for each other, and they both knew it, still they refused to give an inch in this battle of wills.

"Bring it on, Uchiha," the girl stated calmly giving him a once over.

Sai and Naruto watched as the two stared each other down.

It was a common sight nowadays.

Sakura broke contact and adjusted her gloves confidently. "I'm ready when you are, Sasuke-kun," she purred.

Sasuke smirked at her over confident attitude. If there was one thing he loved, it was taking people down a peg. "Hn. Let's begin then."

The entire team gathered around to watch. Kakashi and Yamato were there as well, a few yards away and off to the side. They paused in their conversation to witness the imminent battle. Kakashi glanced with one eye over his orange book. It was really more a demonstration than a battle, but even so, it was expected that Sakura would put up a good fight. Because, ultimately, this was a battle of wills.

Who would give in first? That was the real question.

So when she stood and looked directly into the spinning tomes of Sasuke's sharingan, most everyone was taken by surprise.

Then, for a minute, nothing happened, and just when Sasuke was thinking he'd won, something strange occurred.

He could sense it first, that something was off. He felt the energy of the genjutsu slipping, sliding, changing... but it was like something he'd never experienced before. In the genjutsu itself, was a very annoyed kunoichi, but suddenly she was gone. Vanished, and there was only her voice echoing around the field. She had prepared herself well. She knew she was in a genjutsu and all the normal ways of breaking it hadn't worked thus far, but then something did. Sort of.

Sasuke had tried to create a world that wouldn't be too horrible for the girl to be trapped in, but apparently a field of cherry trees in full bloom had the effect of inducing maniacal laughter in one, Haruno Sakura. This was the reason why he had extricated his own consciousness from the illusion world, but when he did he gave her the opportunity to call on her Inner for help. It wasn't the desired affect he was going for, and Sasuke almost missed it when she broke the illusion, but her body gave her away. It twitched once, twice, as her mind was fighting to be free of him.

Kakashi sat a bit straighter as he took notice of the changes in the girl before anyone else did.

Sai and Naruto were still quietly watching, although Naruto was itching to ask Sasuke what was going on. Very suddenly, the once motionless girl inexplicably recovered, rolled her shoulders, then lifted her head.

Sakura's eyes opened and she took in her surroundings calculatingly. She was different somehow. It was hard to pinpoint, but there was definitely something unusual about her. A shift of sorts... All of her comrades tried to figure out what was happening.

Sakura looked at each of her teammates across the field. Though it was obviously Sakura, her eyes were different. It was like she was looking right through them. Sasuke was unnerved, but schooled is expression to not let it show. When he tried to check again on the genjutsu, he realized that she had somehow broken it, but not completely. In her haste to escape, she had also unwittingly given him the power to influence her in the real world rather than just the created genjutsu world.

Sasuke told her through the use of this genjutsu world to do something. Even though he couldn't see her, they were still connected through that link. He ordered her to 'come to me and admit your defeat'. His pride was great and he wasn't about to let this powerful kunoichi get away so easily, especially when she had so greatly underestimated his genjutsu.

Sakura struggled for a second. Everyone could see it in the way her muscles tensed and in the way she stumbled at first in her strides, but quickly it was over and Sasuke stood with a triumphant grin, ready to accept his victory over the aggressive kunoichi.

"What's going on Sasuke? Did she break it? Is it over?" Naruto asked dumbly, assuming Sakura had managed to escape the genjutsu created by the Uchiha genius.

Sasuke shook his head and was about to explain when Sakura was finally standing before the three men. Sasuke, Naruto, and Sai waited patiently for the girl to do something… anything.

Sasuke could hear, in that genjutsu world, shouts of annoyance and curses directed at him, but then there was also something else. There was laughter, and the girl spoke, but not to Sasuke.

"Hello, Sasuke."

"Ugly, I believe you are mistaken. Traitor is over there, next to Dickless," Sai smiled as he spoke to the girl.

Sakura twisted her head and looked at the artist without taking offense like she normally would to the aforementioned name calling. There wasn't even a twitch, just her polite response. "I admit my defeat," she said, through gritted teeth though somehow also surprisingly cheery.

You could hear Kakashi chuckle from his spot near the trees. Sasuke's expression darkened. She was supposed to come to him, not that sore attempt at a replacement. She was supposed to admit her defeat straight to HIS face, not the clueless artist. That pale-faced, sad excuse for a ninja.

Naruto was obviously confused, so when he asked what was going on, it was Kakashi who explained.

"It would appear that Sakura is still fighting Sasuke's genjutsu. Apparently she's gone so far as to swap Sai and Sasuke's identities. My guess is to interfere with this twisted idea of subjugation Sasuke has going on."

"H-Huh?" the blonde stuttered, looking back and forth between his friends and sensei.

"She's pretending Sai is Sasuke, so for every command Sasuke gives her through the genjutsu, she'll instead interact with Sai," Yamato called out towards the group, hoping to relieve the confusion. He himself was intrigued with the situation, wondering how it would all turn out.

Naruto leaned in close to his best friend and said lowly, "Hey, if that's true, you should find out if Sakura still likes you. You have the chance now, Teme. Just, tell her to act how she wants to act with you, you know minus all the aggression. Then you can find out if she still likes you or if she really does want to just punch you across the village every time she sees you."

Sasuke was quiet, because he had a point and it was tempting to know for sure how the girl really felt. Sakura was still fighting the genjutsu, and didn't hear the two boys scheming.

"This will end badly," Kakashi said to Yamato who was beside him watching the scene unfold. Kakashi turned a page in his book as Yamato agreed enthusiastically. Neither moved from their spot on the outskirts of the open field, though and continued to watch.

Sakura looked at Sai while Inner Sakura was still chanting 'Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke,' internally just in case he gave her another degrading command that would humiliate her in front of their team. She was trying to pull her consciousness back to the real world and get back in control, but it was difficult. Like finding your way to the surface of a dark pool with no sense of gravity. Which way was up? Which down? She tried to bring herself back completely to the illusion, but that was blocked off. Sasuke had really created a very strong illusionary world, but this weird in between world she had gotten herself into was more confusing than just being in the genjutsu itself. Honestly, she was starting to regret the decision to take on Sasuke's new technique as time continued to pass.

She became so wrapped up in tested routes for escape that when Sasuke gave the next command, her blood ran cold from surprise and the possible implications. Inner Sakura was shocked into silence, losing her fragile grip on the only thing keeping her from complete and total mortification.

It was like watching a movie, and Inner Sakura, as well as her normal consciousness, fought to regain control of her body as she started to obey Sasuke's commands in the real world. It was like being hypnotized, but also fully aware of what was going on. It was infuriating.

She watched as her body turned and started to walk towards Sasuke, the real Sasuke, and how his dark eyes drew her in. He licked his lips and her eyes followed the movement, but after only taking two steps in his direction, both minds of Sakura were bringing up Sai's face, and chanting loudly, screaming, 'Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke!' She had a bit of success with tricking her body into moving again, but sadly that was all she could do.

Her head slowly turned around, brokenly, as the battle raged in her mind.

Her body swiveled around and zeroed in on Sai.

Looking at his face she chanted, 'Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke.'

Once she stopped moving in front of Sai, all the boys, young and old were watching her odd behavior. Sasuke was curious and a bit angry. Naruto was expectant. Sai was confused. Kakashi looked bored but he was still watching, and Yamato was just plain baffled.

Then she leaned in, put a hand on his chest, and with big green eyes staring right at Sai, she said, "I've waited for you for so long, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke's mouth dropped open and Naruto was sporting a huge grin as they watched the girl pout to the Sasuke stand-in. He slapped his friend on the back hard, but Sasuke was too engrossed in what he was seeing to react.

Kakashi was smiling and Yamato was wearily watching, ready for the girl to go on a killing spree at any moment. Sai on the other hand was still confused by this interaction. He knew Sakura was acting strangely and that none of his reading had prepared him for this kind of confrontation.

Sakura was cursing on the inside, but she was glad at least that she was saying this to Sai and not Sasuke. That would be too humiliating.

Sai glanced down at the hand on his chest and spoke up, "I don't understand what's happening here. Are you feeling okay, Ugly?" Sai detached Sakura's hand from his chest and reached up to touch Sakura's face to feel if she had a fever. Normally, Sakura would have smacked his hand away or punched him through a tree, but Sasuke had instructed her to act as she would without her normal aggression, and if 'Sasuke' was touching her face, she would naturally let him.

In fact, she leaned into Sai's palm and made and annoyingly loud and completely embarrassing sound. Sakura wanted to run away and hide for a week, but she couldn't do anything, nothing other than wait for either Sasuke or Sai to make the next move.

Too bad all the boys except Sai were struck dumb by the suggestive moan Sakura made seconds earlier. Even Kakashi's one lone eye widened upon hearing the noise.

"I don't believe you have a fever, Sakura-san," Sai said and pulled his hand back. Sakura whimpered in protest and fluttered her eyes with a pout.

Nobody said anything for a while, and the whole time, Sakura was beginning to twitch, trying to keep her body from acting as it wished and words from spilling forth. She prayed for Sasuke to let go of the genjutsu. But his mind was stuck on the meaning of this new revelation.

Sakura was attracted to him… still. He had a real chance with her… still. It was more than he had ever allowed himself to think. But here she was, and all he had to do was overcome her stupid, stubborn pride. Easy enough for an Uchiha.

Suddenly though, there was more, because Naruto was poking him, and when he looked up, Sakura was trying to take off her clothes to seduce. Sasuke felt his blood rush and grabbed his nose with a cough.

"Um. Hmm. Sakura? What are you doing now?" Sai said to the girl who had managed to loosen her shirt as her hands ran down his arms.

"You know, I'm not that weak girl you grew up with, Sasuke. I'm a woman now. I've learned things… I can show you… if you'd like?"

Sai gulped. He didn't know what she was talking about, or why she was calling him Sasuke, but he knew he shouldn't be glancing down her shirt like he was. Why hadn't she punched him yet for that, he wondered.

"Please, Sasuke. Don't make me wait any longer," she said trembling. "I… I…" She tried to say more, but stopped and you could tell that she was having a hard time keeping the words in. But even though her words ceased, her hands were still wild, following from his arms up to his shoulders, where they wrapped around his neck and she leaned in.

Sai looked over at his two other teammates, one who she kept mistaking him for. They were wide eyed and… hm? Surprised? Sai would have to guess that was the emotion they were feeling. Before Sakura could make anymore admissions though, Kakashi was in the field next to Sasuke.

Sakura was still physically assaulting the artist in a way Root never taught them how to combat.

"You know, it'd be wise to end this now, as entertaining as it is, I doubt Sakura-chan would appreciate this kind of invasion of her privacy. For your own good, I hope she doesn't remember any of it. Come on Sai, let's go discuss what happened here."

Sai was pulled away from the girl by Kakashi as she struggled to keep her grip on the boy.

Kakashi, Sai , and Yamato walked away and Sakura whined, trying to follow but Naruto grabbed her hand and kept her from leaving.

"Eh-heh, Sakura-chan. Stay here a minute, please," Naruto said. "I- uh, have a- question, yeah."

"What is it, Naruto?" she asked thoroughly annoyed and put out, but then there was nothing, because she was back.

Sasuke had deactivated the genjutsu, and everything was quiet, heavy with confessions. Sakura pulled her arm back from Naruto and the three original members of Team Seven stood in the awkward silence.

Naruto excused himself quickly to go eat some ramen. He said that he'd catch up with them when they were done talking.

"And-uh, yeah, that was kind of my idea, Sakura-chan, so don't hit him too hard." Naruto then ran faster than she'd seen him run in a while.

After he rushed off, Sakura, now back to her old self, looked anywhere but at the dark haired man across from her. They were nineteen now, and he was far from the same boy she fell in love with, and yet… Sakura glared at the ground, annoyed and angry.

Realizing he was still staring at her, she tried to fix her hair and upon noticing how her top was still hanging open, she re-zipped it and crossed her arms in front of herself defensively.

Sasuke watched her silently. There was no smirk or smile apparent on his features and the surprise had worn off as well. He was simply blank and it did nothing to warn the girl of what she should expect next. No way to prepare for rejection or heartache.

So when he said, "I'm sorry." It surprised her to hear his genuine apology, like he really meant it. She didn't know if he was sorry for leaving when they were twelve, for trying to kill her when they were fifteen, or just for the effects of the genjutsu this time around, but he was sorry. That much was obvious.

He had really changed since they were kids. He had grown. And somehow, even though they had both changed over the years, she still loved him. She was glad she was able to suppress saying that aloud while affected by his jutsu.

"Don't worry about it," Sakura stated and shrugged, looking up at the forest around them. With walls around her heart, fully erect and now completely obvious to the Uchiha, she ignored his gaze.

Sasuke wanted to apologize again though, because as he stood there, he could see it all. Every detail came alive, and he saw every time that he had hurt her. He wanted to change it, take it back, because he regretted it, and he hated that he had so many regrets in his life. Instead of an apology though, he said something else. Something true.

"I'm an idiot. I've always been a fool… Sakura." Her eyebrows came down in confusion. She still looked away, but she was listening to him nonetheless. It was the first time they were really talking. Opening up about what was between them and what was lost.

"I am. I left this place, my real friends, and you... For what?" He continued to rant, sadly, dejectedly, yet calmly. "I had everything I could have wanted, but I left it because I thought I needed something else... Revenge..."

Sakura stayed silent, afraid that she would say the wrong thing and he would shut her out.

"It wasn't what I wanted in the end though. Not at all." They were both thinking about Itachi then. Sakura looked up and saw how Sasuke's eyes were just a tiny bit glassy as green met black. His eyes, once his brother's, held regret and pleaded with her own.

"I really am sorry. For everything," Sasuke said looking deep into her viridian eyes. Sakura clenched her teeth and breathed in deeply trying to calm herself down. She fought to not let the tears fall. She had cried too much because of Sasuke. For him, because of him, but never with him.

She wanted to scream at him, but she was so tired of fighting. It wore on her too much to be constantly angry with him. Still, she walked over to him with a fist held high and when he didn't flinch or try to escape, it came down listlessly. Fisting her hand in the front of his shirt, she pulled herself to him and shook with tears she refused to let out. She beat one hand against his chest, and reprimanded him.

"You're so stupid, Sasuke!" she cried and finally a tear broke through followed by another and another.

She wanted to hide again, or fight with her never-ending anger, but his arms came up around her and held her to him tightly. She cried swiping at her eyes with her head buried in his chest. Sasuke closed his eyes once and breathed in the scent of her pink locks. Placing one swift kiss upon her head, he looked down at her as she froze.

Suddenly, he was worried she would try to escape again, so he told her what he hoped she still wanted to hear.

"I'm not leaving again."

Sakura glanced up wearily. But then there was a smile, solely directed at him. "I'm glad."

Sasuke hugged her again, and leaned down to her ear. "I want to be here for you again. Like I used to be."

"I don't need your protection anymore, Sasuke."

"I know, but I'll always want to protect the ones I love."

Sakura tilted her head, not willing to believe the possibility that this could be real, that he really meant what she hoped. "Like Naruto and Kaka-sensei, you mean?"

"Yeah, but…" Sasuke looked at her pointedly, catching her chin in his larger hand's grasp. "It's always been different with you. I wouldn't admit it before. I don't know when exactly it happened, but I realized it when I was away. I hated that I missed you, Sakura."

Sasuke wiped a stray tear from her face.

"I hope that you'll forgive me now. Even though I don't deserve to be forgiven after everything… It's just… I love you."

Sakura's eyes were wide and full of wonder. Her heart was so full as she stood there sharing his heat, his embrace. So long she had fought to get him back, so long she had tried to stay away and play it cool once he was home, and now here they were. It was impossible to stay away.

"Thank you," she said in awe. Sasuke smiled and the irony was not lost on him. Sakura eventually realized what she said and a light blush dusted her cheeks. Sasuke ran a hand through her hair, it was softer than he expected. His eyes flicked back to hers.

"I'm going to kiss you now," he said asking permission and studying her reaction as he swallowed the lump down that had formed a moment earlier.

"Okay," she replied breathlessly. He slowly leaned in and captured her lips in his.

It was a gentle meeting, just a slight pressure, far from the powerful clash of kunai and fists they were so used to exchanging. Sakura was surprised by the turn of events. She was kissing Sasuke, and she couldn't find it in her to stop. Why should she? Let him be the one to end it, she thought.

Sasuke too, couldn't fathom that here in his arms was the girl he had secretly loved for the past five-plus years. It was an unsettling experience for him, because he thought he would never get the chance to experience the feel of her lips against his. He tasted her lips with a slow reverence.

A few minutes later, when they were both equally breathless and content, was when they each pulled apart. Sasuke still holding Sakura's hand, watched the girl that held his heart fidget in place. He hoped she would give him a chance. He wasn't stupid enough to believe she would simply take him back.

But he hoped, boy did he hope…

Sakura looked up at him, green eyes shining, face flushed from their shared kiss. "Want to treat me to some ramen, Sasuke-kun?" she asked with a small smile. His heart flew, as he knew that she had decided to give him another chance. A chance he didn't deserve, but he was so grateful and glad that she agreed to grant him this one mercy.

"After that," she said pointing to the field and rolling her eyes, "incredible humiliation you put me through. Ugh! I was all over Sai, wasn't I? I'm not looking forward to that next meeting." Sakura swung their clasped hands back and forth between them, staring unseeingly with a smile.

At the reminder, Sasuke's own smile fell. An image of Sakura trying to seduce their clueless teammate took over his mind and he clenched his teeth in angry jealousy. Sakura noticed.

But she had regained her confidence, and a smirk played along the seam of her pink lips. "Don't worry, Sasuke-kun. It's always been you who's had my heart. Sai was just the replacement, just like all the others. But now you're back, so… no need to fret."

Sasuke relaxed a little but then his eyebrows rose. They had started walking back towards the village, but he stopped quickly as realization hit him hard. "Others?"

"Hmm?"

"Others? You said, there were others?" Sasuke urged her and jealously rolled through him in waves as he tried to figure out the hidden meaning. His mind was warning him to act calmly, and breathe slowly for whatever she said next.

"Some of the boys in the village, people I've dated, you know. The odd seduction mission here or there… In my heart, I was always wishing it was you instead."

Sakura started walking again and when he didn't, she let go of his hand and turned around to watch him.

"What's wrong?"

Sasuke clenched his fists at his sides, and his eyes burned with fury. A second later he yelled, staring up at the sky, "Arrrrr!" Letting out a few extra curses and a large fireball, Sasuke then turned back around to find an amused kunoichi.

"You done?"

"Hn."

"Geez Sasuke, if that makes you so mad, I'm glad I didn't tell you who I lost my virginity to."

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock, because he never thought he'd have to deal with such a thing. His eyes burned with fire as his Sharingan flared to life. "Who?" he demanded.

"Uh… it doesn't matter really, Sasuke-kun."

"Who, Sakura?" he said again.

"It was…" Sakura stated unsurely, "Kiba."

"The dog?" Sasuke grit his teeth as he spoke.

"Uh, well, yeah…"

"I'm gonna kill him!" Sasuke screamed as he stomped off through the woods towards Konoha with alternating images flitting through his head. First visions of Sakura and Kiba, then a bloody corpse…

Sakura tried to stop him but eventually let him go with a sad expression before her lips quirked into a smirk.

That'll be the last time Kiba lets Akamaru mark her in a mock battle. If it wasn't enough that she had refused to heal the shattered limb she gave Kiba after their fight, this would surely do it. She had to walk home covered in that stuff and she swore she smelled for days after that.

Sakura hoped Sasuke wouldn't kill the boy. He was innocent of what she claimed. She was just trying to see how truly jealous he could get. Silly Sasuke, didn't you hear her say that she had waited for him…

A few hours later, Sakura was on her way to the hospital to heal one dog boy who had just been dropped off, but Sasuke caught her as she was walking alone in the street. He pulled her quickly in the opposite direction headed towards his apartment. The way he saw it, she had waited long enough for him, and he wasn't about to let some clawed freak or clueless artist worm their way into her heart or anywhere else. This was his place, right here at her side.

And he was about to make sure she knew it.

"You know I was lying before, right Sasuke?"

"Yeah. I know." He continued to pull her down the street by the hand as people looked on in confusion. "But you were right, Sakura. I've made you wait long enough…"

Sakura's eyes bulged and she tried to prepare herself for what was to come. She knew what he was implying. Sasuke wanted her… now.

She suspected Sasuke would be a lot like his genjutsu. Like something you couldn't truly prepare for…

Like something you wouldn't want to escape from … And you would be stupid to fight against either. Even with all these similarities, Sakura was stubborn enough to do all three, because she had. For weeks, months, years.

But this was a fight of wills. Who could suppress their desire for the other the longest? Who could hide it the longest? They both inevitably lost.

And because of that surrender, that inevitable loss, they both won in the end too.

**A/N- Please review. Tell me what you liked, didn't, or any constructive feedback... Thanks for reading. :)**


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